The Living Bible (501 page)
Authors: Inc. Tyndale House Publishers
Tags: #BIBLES / Other Translations / Text
1:1
When God began creating,
or “In the beginning God created.”
1:2
the earth was,
or “the earth became.”
a shapeless, chaotic mass,
or “shapeless and void.”
over the dark vapors,
or “over the cloud of darkness,” or “over the darkness and waters,” or “over the dark gaseous mass.” There is not one correct way to translate these words.
1:4-5
Together they formed the first day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, one day (or ‘period of time’).”
1:6
Let the vapors separate,
literally, “Let there be a dome to divide the waters.”
1:7-8
This all happened on the second day,
literally, “There was evening and there was morning, a second day (or ‘period of time’).”
1:13
This all occurred on the third day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, a third day (or ‘period of time’).”
1:19
This all happened on the fourth day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day (or ‘period of time’).”
1:23
That ended the fifth day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day (or ‘period of time’).”
1:26
a man,
literally, “men.”
someone like ourselves,
literally, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”
1:31
This ended the sixth day,
literally, “And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day (or ‘period of time’).”
2:7
from the dust of the ground,
or “from a lump of soil,” or “from clods in the soil,” or “from a clod of clay.”
2:11-12
the land of Havilah,
located along the border of Babylonia.
2:24
become one person,
literally, “become one flesh.”
3:9
Why are you hiding?
or “Where are you?”
3:20
Eve (meaning “The life-giving one”).
Many Hebrew names are based on puns. In this instance the Hebrew word for
Eve
sounds similar to a Hebrew word that means “life-giving.”
4:18
Enoch was the father of,
or “the ancestor of,” and so also in the remainder of the verse.
4:21
the inventor of the harp and flute,
literally, “the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.”
4:22
He opened the first foundry,
literally, “He was the father of all metal workers in bronze and iron.”
4:26
It was during . . . “the Lord’s people,”
literally, “This man was the first to invoke the name of Jehovah.”
5:1
Here is a list of some of the descendants of Adam,
literally, “This is the roll of Adam’s descendants.”
the man who was like God,
literally, “in the likeness of God.”
5:3-5
when his son Seth was born,
or by Hebrew usage, “when his son, the ancestor (of Seth) was born.” So also in vv. 6, 9, 15, 18, 21, 25, 28, 32.
the very image of his father in every way,
literally, “in his own likeness, after his image.”
After Seth was born,
or by Hebrew usage, “After this ancestor of Seth was born.”
6:1-2
beings from the spirit world,
literally, “sons of God,” used here in the sense of his created, supernatural beings, but no longer godly in character (v. 3). Some commentators believe that the expression “sons of God” refers to the “godly line” of Seth, and “daughters of men” to women from the line of Cain.
7:3
seven pairs,
literally, “the male and female.”
7:16
the Lord God,
literally, “Jehovah.”
8:5
Three months later,
literally, “On the first day of the tenth month.”
8:7
a raven that flew back and forth.
Apparently lighting from time to time upon carcasses of dead animals floating on the water. The dove that Noah next dispatched would not alight on such floating carrion and was thus a good indication of the water level.
8:13
Twenty-nine days after that,
literally, “In the 601st year, in the first month, the first day of the month.”
8:20
some of the animals and birds God had designated,
literally, “clean,” i.e., ritually approved by God.
8:21
And Jehovah was pleased with the sacrifice,
literally, “And Jehovah smelled the delicious odor.”
9:9-11
you and your children,
literally, “your seed.”
9:18
Ham is the ancestor of the Canaanites.
Ham was not the ancestor of the Negro, as was once erroneously supposed.
9:24-25
he cursed Ham’s descendants,
literally, “cursed be Canaan.” The Canaanites were Ham’s descendants.
9:26-27
God bless Shem, and may Canaan be his slave,
or “Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem, and may the Canaanites be Shem’s slaves.”
10:2
sons,
or “descendants.”
10:8
One of the descendants,
or “The son.”
10:9
a mighty hunter, blessed of God,
or “a mighty hunter against the Lord.”
10:13-14
ancestor,
or “father.”
10:23
sons,
or “descendants.”
10:26-30
father,
or “ancestor.”
11:6
Language is the basis on which science feeds upon itself and grows. This was the beginning of an explosion of knowledge, nipped in the bud because of wrong motives and wrong use of the knowledge gained. Similarity with today’s world is significant.
11:12-13
his son Shelah was born,
or by Hebrew usage, “there was born to him the ancestor of Shelah.” So also throughout the remainder of the chapter.
11:29
half sister,
implied; see 20:12.
orphaned niece, Milcah,
implied.
11:32
age of 205,
implied. The Samaritan Pentateuch says that Terah died when he was 145 years old, so that his death occurred in the year of Abraham’s departure from Haran. This is more consistent with 11:26 and 12:4. See also Acts 7:4.
12:2
you will be a blessing to many others,
or “I will make your name so famous that it will be used to pronounce blessings on others.”
12:3
the entire world will be blessed because of you,
or “the nations will bless themselves because of you.”
12:8
traveled southward,
implied.
12:15
into his harem,
literally, “into the household of Pharaoh.”
13:5
many servants,
implied; literally, “many tents.”
13:7
despite the danger they all faced,
implied.
13:10
Garden of Eden,
literally, “Garden of Jehovah.”
14:8-9
unsuccessfully,
implied.
14:11
the victors plundered,
implied.
14:12
Abram’s nephew,
literally, “Abram’s brother’s son.”
15:2-3
some other member of my household
was Eliezer of Damascus.
15:16
Amorite nations living here now,
implied.